Our soldiers are dying

[Chesapeake Bill]

There is a pretty interesting book entitled "The Next 100 Years" by George Friedman, president/CEO of STRATFOR, a leading private intelligence organization. In his book, Friedman suggests that the goal is not to win the war (or even the hearts of the people) in the middle east. Rather, he profers an idea that the goal is to ensure instability to prevent the growth of an islamic power. IN general terms the lives lost is a small price (his words not mine) for this instability if it means we will not have to deal with the economic problems or wars that would be attributed to such a formation. Interesting thought given the lack of a realistic exit strategy to date.

[JohnR]

Haven't read that one and have debated on a membership. Stratfor gets things both good and very wrong. But in their defense, crystal balls are pretty hard to come by.

[scottw]

at the very least, we're getting the opportunity to try some new apparel options for our military....


"Major Kyndra Rotunda, the executive director of the Military Law and Policy Institute, says that being “encouraged” to do something in the military is tantamount to being “ordered” to do it, putting the servicewomen in a touchy situation.

In an effort to get closer to the local population, American female soldiers stationed in Afghanistan are being encouraged to wear a Muslim headscarf when interacting with civilians. But some question whether the practice constitutes cultural sensitivity or a form of appeasement that is degrading to U.S. soldiers."

[scottw]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Haven't read that one and have debated on a membership. Stratfor gets things both good and very wrong. But in their defense, crystal balls are pretty hard to come by.

might also be good to read up on those that are influencing our middle east policy and president currently....her husband is also a very interesting character...

April 5, 2011 4:00 A.M.

Samantha Power’s Power
On the ideology of an Obama adviser

A member of the president’s National Security Council who shares Noam Chomsky’s foreign-policy goals? An influential presidential adviser whom 1960s revolutionary Tom Hayden treats as a fellow radical? A White House official who wrote a book aiming to turn an anti-American, anti-Israeli, Marxist-inspired, world-government-loving United Nations bureaucrat into a popular hero? Samantha Power, senior director of multilateral affairs for the National Security Council and perhaps the principal architect of our current intervention in Libya, is all of these things.

These scary-sounding tidbits might be dismissed as isolated “gotchas.” Unfortunately, when we view these radical outcroppings in the full sweep of her life’s work, Samantha Power emerges as a patriot’s nightmare — a woman determined to subordinate America’s national sovereignty to an international order largely controlled by leftist bureaucrats. Superficially, Power’s chief concern is to put a stop to genocide and “crimes against humanity.” More deeply, her goal is to use our shared horror at the worst that human beings can do in order to institute an ever-broadening regime of redistributive transnational governance.

Samantha Power?s Power - Stanley Kurtz - National Review Online

[Chesapeake Bill]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Haven't read that one and have debated on a membership. Stratfor gets things both good and very wrong. But in their defense, crystal balls are pretty hard to come by.

They provide an interesting read. Some say they are the preeminent open source intelligence brief around. I'm not so sure. They sure do think highly of their publications...at least they price it that way. Luckily I have access to it through work.

I don't necessarily agree with everything inthe book but he does explain why he reaches the conclusoins that he has and some make sense. His reasoning for the middle east is to prevent any other nation from gaining too much economic advantage.

Ms. Powers is definetly one to watch! A good read as well regardless of what I think about the National Review overall.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by Chesapeake Bill

Ms. Powers is definetly one to watch! A good read as well regardless of what I think about the National Review overall.

I'm curious if the exclamation point represents enthusiastic applause or wary caution regarding her influence and ideaology ...?